Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-20

WAR DEPARTMkNT,
WASHINGTON Cry, Aug. "a, 1886.
To the Lieutenant General of the Army:
SIR = Seeing that Fort Marion
Fla, appeared to be agreed upon
the place at which to h I'D the Apache
on their capture or surrender as prls
oners of war, and having no data her
of which to Judge of its capacity, etc.
| sent the following telegram to th'
comm 'nding officer at Saint Angus
tine, Fla:
WHAT number of Indians, men,
women and children can, in addition
to the number now at Saint Augustine
be accommodated there? Should II
be determined to increase the num-
her by four or five hundred, what
preparation would be necessary and
what probable expenditure required. "
In reply / received the following
| "Can accommodate seventy-hve
men. women and children in addition
to those now here. Fort Marion is
small place; all must live in tents.
Have tentage by taking battery tents.
Need no particular preparation, pu,
will have to expend 500 for additional
tent floor, privies and lavatories.
| Would recommend no more Indians
be sent here. More in detail"
Very respectfully,
ISioned. X. G. Drum,
Acting Secretary of War.
Within ten days of the date OF that
letter the hostiles had surrendered
and were sent to Florida, where those
who have not died from sickness
peculiar to that hot climate have re-
manned in banishment.
If the indictment of Geronimo by
the Arizona Grand Jury was done
simply as precautionary measure, to
keep on record and use ouly in case
Geronimo should ever be brought
back to Arizona, it is well enough, and
will tend to make his Punishment
from Arizona perpetual. But if it be
the plan or purpose of the Arizona au-
thorities to base upon that indictment
a reauisition for the deliverance OF
Geronimo to the Arizona authoriti IS
for trial under that indictment, then
it is a grievous mistake, and may
prove the surest and quickest method
of bringing back the whole tribe and
turning them loose upon the people OF
that territory. To proceed thus against
Geronimo would further, not only,
have the general effect of changing the.
established policy of the government,
but it would be unjust and unwise
after Geronimo surrendered as pri-
soner of war to change his
status by making him individually
responsible for a part of all the
crimes done by his people while in
hostility to the government, and it
would also be unjust and unwise to
hand him over to an Arizona jury to
be tried. He is being punished now
as a prisoner of war, and it would he
a breach of faith, to say the least, to
treat him in any other way. And,
besides, if Geronimo is to be tried in
Arizona will he not have the right to
sail witnesses. and can he be
denied the privilege of call
ing whom he pleases = the
notorious Chatto and ten. twenty
or even thirty or more of the worst
Indians Arizona ever knew, all OF
whom were Geronimo's companions
and whose evidence would naturally
be needed by him in defence? And
further, supposing that he is tried,
upon what evidence is he to be con-
victed? No living white man can
truthfully bear testimony to Geroni-
mos crimes, and will his own people
swear against the life OF their leader?
Then if there is no positive legal
evidence upon which to try him, his
conviction, it must be seen, would
be uncertain, and it would be the
most unwise thing to bring him out to
Arizona to be tried and acquitted. If
acquitted, what then? Should he be
remanded to the custody of his mill
tary guards, or should he not be set
at liberty as one found innocent by
court of law? If set at liberty, will
he be placed at the mercy Of lynchers,
or must he be safely conducted to the
reservation, and allowed to undo the
good work accomplished last year by
the untiring energy and hard service
of the troops in the field?
Another view OF the matter is this:
Geronimo is only one of "a number of
Indians, men, women and children,
who were on the war-path, all of
whom are now held as prisoners of
war. If Geronimo is to be selected as
the one guilty, responsible head of
the hostile band, will it be just,
human or lawful to keep the other
men, women and children in impris-
onment? We think not-most cer-
tainly not. Then again, if the guilty
ones are to be held Individually y respon-
sible for their crimin II acts committed
on the war path, by what law or au-
thority does the government now hold
the innocent and unoffending ones in
prison, over one thousand miles away
from their native country? By treating
them as prisoners of war the whole
tribe has beer. removed and peace Sc
cured for Arizona; and it should be
borne in mind that while some of
those now in banishment may never
have committed depreciation or
crime in their lives, yet the most
atrocious and cruel acts were done by